title: Expression of E-cadherin in pig kidney.
abstract: E-cadherin is a cell adhesion molecule that plays an important role in maintaining renal epithelial polarity and integrity. The purpose of this study was to determine the exact cellular localization of E-cadherin in pig kidney. Kidney tissues from pigs were processed for light and electron microscopy immunocytochemistry, and immunoblot analysis. E-cadhedrin bands of the same size were detected by immunoblot of samples from rat and pig kidneys. In pig kidney, strong E-cadherin expression was observed in the basolateral plasma membrane of the tubular epithelial cells. E-cadherin immunolabeling was not detected in glomeruli or blood vessels of pig kidney. Double-labeling results demonstrated that E-cadherin was expressed in the calbindin D28k-positive distal convoluted tubule and H(+)-ATPase- positive collecting duct, but not in the aquaporin 1-positive, N-cadherin-positive proximal tubule. In contrast to rat, E-cadherin immunoreactivity was not expressed at detectable levels in the Tamm-Horsfall protein-positive thick ascending limb of pig kidney. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that E-cadherin was localized in both the lateral membranes and basal infoldings of the collecting duct. These results suggest that E-cadherin may be a critical adhesion molecule in the distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct cells of pig kidney.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Anatomy, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul 158-710, Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Youn
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sun M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ku-Yong
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ki-Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins
keywords: E-cadherin; kidney; pig